One of the top NFL games that season was the NFC Championship game between the New York Giants and the San Francisco 49ers in San Francisco. Â The 49ers were the favorites to win, led by Joe Montana, Roger Craig and Jerry Rice. Â The Giants had a great defense but a boring ball control offense. Â In 1991, defense won championships and it was the Giants defense that gave them the upset victory, by knocking Joe Montana out of the game and causing a fumble as the 49ers were running out the clock. Â The Giants won the game a few minutes later with a field goal. Â The win in San Francisco propelled the Giants to the Super Bowl where they defeated the Buffalo Bills.

21 years later, we are right back to that NFC championship game. Â The players are different but the stakes are the same. Â No one will confuse Alex Smith with Joe Montana, but some might think the Giants defense is just as good as the 1991 model, and they are probably right. Â For those wanting to take a trip down memory lane, here is a YouTube clip of the game highlights: